WANT YOUR PODCAST PRODUCER APPLICATION TO STAND OUT? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

Everyone likes a sequel, right? In my last post I talked a little about the common mistakes people are making on podcast producer applications - but let’s not dwell in the negative. Here’s what the top-tier candidates are doing well.

-?????????An audio reel that’s more than just grabs.

Let’s be clear: if you take the time to edit your audio into one track that’s easily accessible by a recruiter you’re already beating a lot of your competition. But there’s still room for improvement.

What I find peculiar is that so many people applying for creative audio jobs make audio reels that are – frankly – boring. DESPERATELY boring.

If your cover letter says that you’re a gifted script writer, why have you cobbled together a bunch of disparate grabs with ‘whoosh’ sound effects between them? Where’s the story telling? The context?

One of the better audio reels I listened to (and not by co-incidence one of the first people I ended up hiring) had a personalised introduction which promised that at the end of the tape there was an embarrassing clip from their community radio days. What a clever tease! Who wouldn’t stick to the end?

If you’re feeling brave and like a challenge, consider proving how creative you are. Make an audio reel that’s so entertaining that your skill is undeniable. Break format conventions, do something new and interesting

Of course, not everyone has the time to go to that much effort. But at the very least make sure you have written context somewhere which explains your audio clips, how you were involved in their creation and where in the story you’re dropping me.

-?????????A cover letter that shows a bit of personality

A lot of people treat cover letters as an afterthought, in fact some people don’t attach them at all (which as I covered in my last post is a big mistake). But I really can’t understate their importance.

The cover letter is the first chance that you get to directly speak to the recruiter. Yes, they can be a chore to write, but I think they can be a wonderful opportunity to show some personality and – dare I suggest – even have a bit of fun?

I’m going to flag here that this varies from company-to-company, but personally I liked the cover letters which have a bit of flair. This could be in the form of starting with an anecdote or even a joke here and there (if you’re certain it will land). ?

It’s a hard line to walk, but in the creative industries I think it largely pays off to take a bit of a risk. It’s better to stand out for personality than to blend in because you ‘ideated best-in-class content for niche markets’ or whatever else has been spat out of the corporate jargon generator.

-?????????A resume that’s specific to the job

Resumes are boring to write and, frankly, they’re boring to read. However you can make it a little easier on whoever’s hiring by making sure you adapt your application for the job ad.

Before I stumbled into the promised land of radio and podcasting, I had a mixed bag of work experience which included: vision mixing for a 24-hour sports channel; transcribing for Australia’s Got Talent and breakfast television producing (anyone else remember Wake Up…? No?).

Because this experience doesn’t have anything really to do with audio production (and also paints a picture of someone who had no idea what they wanted to do… which I didn’t) I leave it off. You should consider doing a similar audit before applying for a podcasting job.

If you’re really struggling to find experience which is specific to audio, don’t be afraid to put into your resume experience which isn’t paid. Include the podcast you host and produce or the community radio you volunteer for. Don’t bury these at the back either, just because you weren’t paid to make your passion project doesn’t make it any less valid or impressive.?